January 15, 2014 — The Radiation Oncology Institute (ROI) has selected Malolan S. Rajagopalan, M.D., radiation oncology resident, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, to receive a $20,000 grant for a project to compile best practices regarding the management of radiation therapy toxicity. Rajagopalan’s project proposal includes development of a website and mobile application that will give ROI the capability to continually update this material so that it will remain current. Combined, the website and mobile app will be comprehensive tools that will improve patient quality of life and treatment outcomes.
Rajagopalan and his team will develop the website and a mobile app, for Apple iOS phones and tablets, to allow physicians, nurses and physician assistants to quickly review and implement symptom management pathways and guidelines for patients and provide links to peer-reviewed literature and areas in need of further study. The site will provide comprehensive information, recommendations with evidence links and other published articles. The site will be structured to be a living document that selected experts will update. The mobile app will also include a drug prescription reference tailored for oncology, as well as a number of tools and references to guide clinicians on the go.
Rajagopalan’s team will form a multidisciplinary panel of radiation oncology specialists and various other fields such as palliative care and pulmonology to review all materials to ensure the quality and comprehensiveness of the information and resources provided. Each panel of approximately four to six members will include radiation oncologists from various institutions and, for diversity, at least one member who is not a radiation oncologist. The first two symptoms that will be addressed are the most prevalent side effects of radiation therapy: dermatitis and oral mucositis.
Together, the website and mobile app will compile and categorize both acute and late radiation symptom management strategies, and prioritize them by effectiveness and the levels of evidence that support them. Rajagopalan plans to unveil both for beta review and testing Sept. 14-17, 2014 at ASTRO’s 56th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
“A multidisciplinary cancer treatment plan includes thorough consideration and accounting for the individual needs of each patient, particularly when treatment side effects significantly impact patient compliance and outcomes,” said ROI President Theodore Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D., FASTRO, and president, ROI. “We are excited that Rajagopalan’s project will provide us with the best approaches to mitigating adverse treatment effects and a platform that will permit us to continue to grow this valuable resource.”
For more information: www.roinstitute.org
March 28, 2024 
